


Free of Fear

by Orionwilde



Category: Divergent (Movies), Divergent - All Media Types, Divergent Series - Veronica Roth
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-06
Updated: 2017-11-06
Packaged: 2019-01-30 06:12:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12647727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orionwilde/pseuds/Orionwilde
Summary: Chuck Edge finally learns to face her fears.





	Free of Fear

It only took her one glance around the room to realize that she was the only girl. 

The low back of her black and white dress usually made her feel invincible but in the company of nine boys all taller and stronger than her, it felt more like a death sentence. She put on her best scowl, a weak attempt at squelching the fear rising in her throat. In Candor she could easily pass for intimidating with her dark brows pulled together, her eyes narrowed but right now she looked like a petulant child. 

She could feel all eyes on her, drinking in her exposed flesh. Without turning her head, she glanced at the glowering boy next to her. He was a broad-shouldered boy from Amity, he chose before her in the ceremony. He had cut his hand so deep that blood ran down his wrist. Peaking at his hand, she saw that he had torn the bottom of his shirt and wrapped it around the gash. 

She fought the urge to shift, feeling uneasy under his gaze. 

She kept her eyes forward, her fists balled against her side. A sudden pang of longing for her brother hit her square in the chest. She felt naked without Charlie by her side. For eighteen years she had been part of a set, a kind of two for one deal that usually happened when you were a twin. Normally she would have died to be alone, but in this moment she craved the strong, silent aura of her brother. 

Charlie had always been the brave one, he did every dare and wouldn’t` be caught dead backing down from a fight. Growing up she always thought Charlie was born to wear black, to be dauntless. Heat pooled behind her eyes as she thought of how she felt when he lifted his hand over the bowl of soil. She swallowed the knot in her throat as she remembered that she was not in the privacy of her childhood home but in the stone walls of Dauntless, surrounded by nine boys whose eyes were searching for weakness. 

“Welcome to Dauntless, initiates!” A man stands in front of the two groups with his hands clasped behind his back. He has dark brown skin, his face is stern with deep creases as if he’s spent years scowling. “My name is Max, and I am one of the leaders here at your new faction. Over the next few weeks you will be pushed to the brink physically, mentally, and emotionally. Each stage of initiation is designed to break you down. Those of you who that jumped have shown us that you’re brave, but now you must show us what you’re made of.” 

Max makes a show of looking into the eyes of every initiate as he paces. Some try to hold his hard gaze but look down shortly after, most look down as soon as Max’s eyes land on them. Looking away is a sign of submission, a show of weakness. She’s not stupid, she knows that she will have to go above and beyond to prove herself, so when Max’s eyes land on her she looks directly into his eyes. His eyes are dark brown, almost black. She finds it hard to hold his stare but she can’t bow into compliance, not if she wants to be taken seriously. Max’s lips twitch into a satisfied smirk before moving on. 

“In the past we have accepted all initiates with open arms, however with the size of initiation classes increasing we have decided to do things differently. Only the top ten initiates will become members, there are 21 of you, 11 Dauntless Borns and 10 Transfers. Four of you will be cut at the end of stage one, two will be cut after stage two, and the rest will be cut after stage three.” 

“You should have just stayed in Candor, Caroline.” The whispered words send a spark down her spine, she knows the owner of the voice very well.  
Sebastian Erichs.  
Candor born, Sebastian was easily the biggest boy in the group. He was over six feet tall and bulky, he looked older than eighteen and always had a smirk on his face. She could handle Sebastian, if time still told true any blow to his ego would send him cowering into a corner. 

“Maybe if you leave now, Charlie and the rest of the happy hippie brigade will offer you safe haven.” 

At mention of her brother she whips around eyes bright with anger, the first sign since everyone landed on solid ground that she was alert in present.  
“Go fuck your-“

“First jumper!” Max’s voice cuts through her venom. Sebastian looks pleased, practically preening himself because he thinks he’s gotten her into trouble. Her eyes linger on Sebastian for a beat before turning to Max. 

“Yes, sir?” Her voice sounds terribly girly and she cringes as her words hang in the air. 

Max doesn’t answer just bends two fingers beckoning her to him. Pain shoots to her stomach as she walks over. She holds her shoulders back in an attempt to seem confident but her knees threaten to give out with each step. Eyes burn into her back as she stands in front of the semicircle of Dauntless leaders. 

“Today has been a day of firsts here at Dauntless. Our first jumper was not only a transfer but the only girl transfer. This is unprecedented in Dauntless history.” Max’s brow is furrowed as he speaks the words and she fights the urge to look proud. “Here at Dauntless we value the lives of our initiates and are not quite sure how to handle this situation.”

The statement confuses Caroline, how can someone so eager to turn teenagers out into the Factionless Sector claim to care about the well-being of his initiates?  
“Nevertheless…,” he continues, “Sari has extended the opportunity of allowing you to train with the Dauntless Borns. You will be ranked with the transfers but it could be beneficial for you to train in a more…diverse group.” 

Caroline all but gaps at Max. Surprised is the only way to describe how she feels at this moment. She glances at the group of transfers and knows those nine boys have already decided she’s not going to make it to stage two. Deep down Caroline knows that they think she’s an easy target, that’s the only reason they’ve extended this ‘opportunity’ to her. Not because they care if she gets her ass beat but because they don’t want her blood on their hands if she dies. 

The idea of looking like a coward scares her far more than being factionless and she’ll be damned if any will push her into submission. 

“I appreciate your concern, sir but I can handle myself.” She speaks coolly, her voice even despite her heart pounding in her ears.

“If you choose to train with the transfers, we cannot help you any further. We will not protect you.” Max’s words are absolute. Caroline knows she’s alone in this, for the first time in her life she will have to stand on her own two feet.

“I’m not afraid of getting hurt and I’m definitely not afraid of failing but I refuse to look like coward.” 

The platinum haired girl, who Caroline can only assume is Sari, looks impressed. The third leader looks grim, his full mouth pressed into a hard line. Caroline can see the tightness in his scruffy jaw. 

Max looks at her for a moment, his mouth twitches at the corners. “Very well, rejoin your fellow initiates.” 

Caroline nods before turning on her heels, walking back to the group. She knows her pride will get her into trouble eventually, but right now it makes her brave. She stands among the other transfers with more confidence than before. 

“What’s your name, First Jumper?” A Dauntless born with black hair and lip ring asks. 

_Caroline Edge_. The name is in her mouth before she can even speak. Her mouth opens but she catches herself, she doesn’t have to be Caroline Edge anymore. She’s no longer Charlie Edge’s twin sister, she’s First Jumper. She’s dauntless, her mind wanders to Charlie for a second. She pictures him on the truck to Amity…

“Chuck. My name’s Chuck.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! I've been sitting on this story for such a long time, tell me what and you think! This story takes place after Chuck becomes a member of Dauntless but I wanted to start out the story with a flashback. If you'd rather I write the story of her initiation process just let me know!
> 
> xx orion


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